1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to pick-up trucks generally, and particularly to a tool storage system or tool storage assembly that may be detachably mounted in the bed of a pick-up truck to facilitate access to the tools by the owner of the truck, but which provides security for such tools to prevent their theft by unauthorized persons.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A preliminary patentability and novelty search relating to this invention has revealed the existence of the following United States patents:
It requires only a cursory examination of the patents listed above to indicate that the problem of providing storage compartments or storage for tools or toolboxes in a pick-up truck has been a long-standing problem and has generally been solved by mounting in the bed of the pick-up truck a fixed or non-removable structure that limits the availability of the pick-up truck for use for other purposes.
Accordingly, one of the important objects of the present invention is the provision of a tool storage system for a pick-up truck that is easily removable from the truck bed.
Another object of the invention is the provision of a tool storage system for mounting in the bed of a pick-up truck that provides a flat work area on top of the composite assembly of independent units that form the storage system.
Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a storage system for a pick-up truck that provides a flat working surface accessible by a person, and which enables the mounting of a circular saw assembly within the storage system and adjustable to retain the saw blade either retracted or deployed for use by protuberance through a slot in the working surface of the storage system so as to use the top surface of the storage system as the top surface of a table saw.
A still further object of the invention is the provision of a compartment within the storage system equipped with a pivotal cover plate on the underside of which an electric circular saw may be temporarily detachably mounted so that the circular saw blade may be deployed to protrude through the slot in the top plate.
Yet another object of the invention is the provision in a pick-up truck storage system of a compartment in which a cook-top assembly may be detachably mounted for use and then removed to enable use of the same compartment for other purposes.
A still further object of the invention is the provision in a pick-up storage system of a compartment equipped with thermally insulated walls and an automatic drain to enable use of the thermally insulated compartment as an ice box for cold storage of readily accessible food and drink products.
The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be apparent from the following description and the drawings. It is to be understood however that the invention is not limited to the embodiment illustrated and described since it may be embodied in various forms within the scope of the appended claims.
In terms of broad inclusion, the pick-up truck storage system of the invention includes a plurality of releasably interconnected independent units that may be separately manufactured and which may be assembled into a composite assembly of interconnected units that fit snugly yet removably into the bed of a pick-up truck. More specifically, the overall toolbox assembly or system includes left and right toolbox subassemblies that straddle the rear wheel compartments that protrude into the inside of the truck bed and include pivoted lids that may be opened or closed. These left and right toolbox subassemblies fit snugly and are detachably secured to the lateral walls of the truck bed and are preferably also supported on the floor of the truck bed so that the top surfaces of the pivoted lids of the left and right side subassemblies lie flush with the left and right upper edge surfaces of the side walls of the truck bed. The overall assembly also includes a central array of front, rear and intermediate independent storage boxes that fit slidably between the confronting inner wall surfaces of the left and right toolbox subassemblies, each of the front, rear and intermediate independent storage boxes comprising the array being provided with a hinged lid that may be locked or unlocked and pivoted open to give access to the interior of each of these independent storage boxes. Preferably, the rear storage box compartment of the array is provided with a top cover plate that is independently pivoted on a detachable crossbeam to enable the removable attachment to the underside of the pivotal top cover plate of an electric circular saw assembly. Means are provided for interlocking the interrelated subassemblies so as to form an interconnected composite unit that fits snugly within the cargo compartment of the pick-up truck bed.